Student performance and faculty development in Scale-Up engineering mechanics and math courses

Our research team is in their second year of implementing active and cooperative learning in second-year engineering mechanics and math courses using the Student-Centered Activities for Large Enrollment Undergraduate Programs (SCALE-UP) model. With this approach, large studio classes are taught with an emphasis on learning by guided inquiry instead of standard listening and note taking by students. The project focuses on the development and delivery of instructional material and documentation of student comprehension, performance and perceptions in Statics, Dynamics, and Multivariate Calculus courses at Clemson University. The project is also examining the benefit of integrating the content of the two traditional sequential engineering mechanics courses (Statics and Dynamics), and the parallel content in Multivariate Calculus. The research team is tracking student grades in these courses and follow-up courses, and performance on the Statics, Dynamics, and Force Concept Inventories for students in Statics taught in a traditional format, students in Statics taught in a SCALE-UP format, and students in multiple sections of integrated Statics and Dynamics taught in a SCALE-UP format. The team is also addressing the professional development needs of instructors and student learning assistants to effectively deliver student-centered course materials and in-class assessment of student understanding.